The Department of Health is encouraging people at risk of seasonal flu to protect themselves by getting their annual free flu jabs.

Also, this year, for the first time, all pregnant women will be offered the seasonal flu vaccination. This is because it protects against the H1N1 virus (swine flu) that will still be circulating this winter, and pregnant women who catch this strain are at an increased risk of severe disease and flu-related hospital admissions.

Everyone aged 65 and over is routinely offered the jab, as are younger people with long-term conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, multiple sclerosis, serious kidney and liver disease. Around 15 million people in the UK have the jab, which must be administered every year as it is altered to match the flu strains in circulation.

Seasonal flu, also known as influenza, is a highly infectious illness caused by a virus. The types of virus in circulation change every year as does the vaccine, so, it is important that those at risk ensure they receive the jab annually to protect themselves.

Every year there are approximately 8,000 flu-related deaths in the winter months in England and Wales - these deaths are avoidable.

The best way to avoid flu is to get immunised, but in addition, people can protect themselves and those around them by practising good hand hygiene with the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ technique. This means carrying tissues, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue, disposing of the tissue after one use, and cleaning hands as soon as possible with soap and water or an alcohol hand gel.

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